


eternity (a middle)

by inkin_brushes



Series: Immortals (Vamp AU) [20]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-25
Updated: 2014-10-25
Packaged: 2018-05-27 07:12:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6274798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkin_brushes/pseuds/inkin_brushes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I wanted to talk to you alone,” Hakyeon explained, looking up at Hongbin hopefully.</p>
            </blockquote>





	eternity (a middle)

**Author's Note:**

> unlike previous updates, this fic is happening at the same time as the previous one, as opposed to following it.

“I do not like this,” Taekwoon said, so softly he was barely moving his lips. 

Hakyeon heaved a sigh, looking away from Taekwoon to scan the park. There were a few quaint lampposts along the path, lightly illuminating it, but the trees and foliage at the edges were dark. It wasn’t an issue, not with his tats. He could see that everything was silent, still. 

As he moved, the ward he’d borrowed off Kyungsoo shifted, clinking against Hakyeon’s own little charm, making them both burble. Hakyeon sighed. His charm seemed personally offended by the ward, a gemstone on a long, thick chain, meant to prevent eavesdropping. 

Everyone just seemed done with Hakyeon tonight. 

“You’ve said that already,” Hakyeon said tiredly. He sagged against the back of the bench, while Taekwoon continued sitting straight, staring ahead resolutely. He was quite angry, Hakyeon could tell. It made Hakyeon feel vaguely miserable on many different levels. He knew Taekwoon was simply worried, about what was about to happen, about whatever it was that had happened a few nights ago that had sent Hakyeon into such an odd fit. 

He hadn’t told Taekwoon about what Kyungsoo had said about his charm, hadn’t told him about the thoughts and ideas swirling around in his mind. It wasn’t— wasn’t kind of him, to hide this from Taekwoon, he knew, not when Taekwoon was so obviously fretting. But Hakyeon thought it would be crueler to give him false hope where there may be none. Maybe Hakyeon was going to turn, maybe— but until he knew for sure, he didn’t want to torment Taekwoon with the possibility and then end up snatching it away.

A breeze blew past them, gently ruffling Hakyeon’s hair, making the leaves on the trees rustle. Taekwoon’s whisper was nearly lost amongst the sound. “I wish you would tell me what is wrong.” 

Hakyeon swallowed thickly. He reached out and laid a hand on Taekwoon’s shoulder. Taekwoon did not soften at the touch. That made Hakyeon feel even worse. “I will,” he promised. “I will, but for right now, this is something I need to piece through myself.” 

Taekwoon twitched, shaking Hakyeon’s hand off of him. Hakyeon opened his mouth to speak again but Taekwoon was standing abruptly, turning so he could gaze at a spot behind Hakyeon, into the trees. Hakyeon sat up straight so he could look behind himself as well, catching vague movement, his wards prickling and his little charm pinging. 

Wonshik looked like he should be cold as he stepped through the brush and onto the damp grass, wearing just a t-shirt, but of course vampires weren’t sensitive to temperature. It made Hakyeon snuggle down into his scarf in sympathy anyway. Mid-March it may be, but the nights were still wet and cold. Hongbin was, in contrast, suitably bundled up in his soft leather jacket, the one he had always worn on hunts. He and Wonshik were holding hands, and it sent a little pang through Hakyeon. It was like looking into the past. 

“Hey,” Wonshik greeted easily. 

“Hey guys,” Hakyeon said softly. Taekwoon beside him remained silent. 

Wonshik and Hongbin stopped beside the bench, looming over Hakyeon. “This is an odd place to meet up, isn’t it?” Wonshik asked, frowning around himself. “Why couldn’t we meet at—” 

Taekwoon stepped forward, grasping Wonshik’s upper arm firmly and tugging him away from Hongbin, down the path. Hongbin watched them go with wide eyes. Hakyeon was a bit surprised by the abruptness too, but more so with the fact that despite Taekwoon protesting so much, he still went along with what Hakyeon was asking of him. 

“Uh?” Hongbin said, eyes flickering back to Hakyeon in curiosity, as Wonshik squawked in a highly indignant manner at being manhandled and dragged far down the path, to another bench about fifty feet away. 

“I wanted to talk to you alone,” Hakyeon explained, looking up at Hongbin hopefully. He patted the empty spot on the bench beside him. 

“Hakyeon,” Hongbin said softly, hands fidgeting in front of himself, “I don’t know if that’s— that’s a good idea.” He looked at Taekwoon and Wonshik, still well within sight. Wonshik was saying something to Taekwoon, gesturing, while Taekwoon still held his upper arm and ignored him in favor of glaring at Hakyeon. Even from fifty feet away, Hakyeon could tell it was a glare. 

Hakyeon sighed heavily. “Taekwoon said that too,” he muttered.

Tentatively, Hongbin sat on the bench beside him, a good foot of space between them. “I don’t want to go off on you again,” he whispered. “It’s so soon after—”

“I know,” Hakyeon interrupted gently, “but I figure that just— just happens randomly, you know? And I don’t want to not see you for years until it stops happening.” One shoulder lifted in a shrug. “I could take you down, if I had to. I have the power.” He waggled his fingers at Hongbin, which made him smile, weakly, dimples appearing. 

“It’s not just that. I know you could, but I also don’t like you seeing me like that,” Hongbin said simply. Hakyeon winced. He didn’t like it either. 

“I wouldn’t have asked if it wasn’t important,” Hakyeon said, meaning it down to his bones.

“Mm, important, and such a secret you couldn’t tell Wonshik?” Hongbin asked pointedly, gaze darting over to look at their respective lovers. Taekwoon was no longer holding Wonshik in place, but he must have said something to him, and whatever it was had obviously worked, as Wonshik had sat on the bench beside them, arms crossed. Taekwoon was still glaring. 

“And Taekwoon,” Hakyeon said, and that made Hongbin look at him in surprise. 

“They’ll be able to hear us anyway.”

Hakyeon shook his head, gently touching his fingertips to the gemstone around his neck. “To prevent eavesdropping,” he explained, and Hongbin’s eyes widened a little. 

“Now I’m nervous,” Hongbin said. “What’s going on?”

“First I need you to promise not to tell Wonshik any of this,” Hakyeon said. Hongbin winced, shaking his head just a fraction. “I trust him, it’s not that, it’s just that he’s at Jaehwan’s mercy, and I don’t want Jaehwan finding out about this. Not yet.” 

“Ah, and since I am not Jaehwan’s child, he has no real sway over me,” Hongbin said. “Yes, I promise.” Their gazes met, and then Hongbin gave a twisted smile. “Wonshik will not be happy about this.”

“He’s not happy now,” Hakyeon said, laughing a little at Wonshik down the path, clearly moping. 

“Neither of them seem to be.” This time when Hongbin smiled, it was more genuine. 

The conversation stalled, for a moment, as Hakyeon gathered himself, trying to figure out what to say, how to say it. Hongbin was serene beside him, waiting patiently. It was weird, how as a vampire he made Hakyeon’s heart race, his wards flare up and warm, but as a person he seemed— calmer. So much calmer than before. 

“I’m— I—” Hakyeon began, nervous for many reasons. “I recently became aware of some— some _things_.” That was far too cryptic, and Hongbin frowned.

“I’m going to need more than that,” he said flatly. 

Hakyeon took a deep breath. “I think I— maybe— turn?” he ventured, voice squeaky. “But I don’t— I mean— I don’t want to be a vampire, but—” He cut himself off, looking beyond Hongbin at Taekwoon. 

Hongbin followed Hakyeon's line of sight. “Ah,” he said, and there was no inflection in it. “Well, I didn’t want to be a vampire either, but shit happens.” He looked back at Hakyeon, gauging. “What is it you want me to tell you, Hakyeon?”

“I guess— I guess your thoughts on it,” Hakyeon mumbled. “On being a vampire, on _me_ maybe being a vampire.” He added, in a whisper so soft it was barely audible, “I’m frightened. I feel like every choice I have will end in me losing. If I don’t turn, then I die and leave Taekwoon alone for eternity. And if I turn then— then—”

“Then you’ll be a vampire,” Hongbin finished for him, and Hakyeon flinched. “It’s alright, Hakyeon, I was— I was a human, was a hunter, I understand the horror around the idea of being made vampire. Had I been given the choice at the time of my turning, I would have declined, quite vehemently.” He let his gaze drift to Wonshik, almost idly. “But that was back then, and things are different now.” 

Hakyeon blinked. “You’ve come to terms with things.” There was a note of vague incredulity in his voice. He had known that Hongbin was choosing to live, or rather, to continue on as a vampire, but he had _hated_ vampires before, as much as Hakyeon ever had. It seemed impossible that he’d adjusted so quickly. 

Hongbin shrugged. “Not exactly, not yet, but it’s not as if moping about things will change them. I was turned, and there are aspects I— I don’t like, will never like.” He looked back at Hakyeon. His eyes were clear, voice frank. “I’m not going to pretend that having to kill people isn’t— isn’t awful. It is. But it’s not—” He cut himself off, clearly trying to think of how to phrase it. “It’s not as awful as it could be, as some vampires make it. I try to be merciful, try to pick people who are already dying, try to be— be the _right_ kind of vampire, as right as a vampire can be. I know in the end it probably doesn’t really matter, killing is killing, but it makes me feel better about things.” His lips quirked. “Fucked up, I guess, right?”

Hakyeon swallowed thickly. “I don’t know if I could do it,” he admitted. 

“I thought the same thing, when I was human, but well, I don’t have a choice now. It’s feed, go mad, or die,” Hongbin said simply, then nibbled his bottom lip, teeth all blunt. “I had to— to try. Wonshik went so far for me that it just seems ungrateful to toss it all away.”

“You really love one another,” Hakyeon said numbly. 

“No more, I think, than you and Taekwoon love each other,” Hongbin pointed out, and Hakyeon looked away. “I can’t make your decision for you, Hakyeon, and I can’t— can’t tell you if the trade off will be worth it for you either. But for me— an eternity with Wonshik— it’s— there’s something so— so _good_ about that, that it’s worth the high price.” He shook his head. “I can’t explain it, but there’s something about yawning eternity that just makes everything feel so simple, so content. I no longer have to worry about losing him, about— about life, really. It’s just me and him, stripped down to our bones for endless nights.”

Hakyeon thought about that, thought about eternity with Taekwoon. He’d never been able to really evaluate it without putting it up against the knowledge that to do so, he’d have to be a vampire. He tried to set that aside for a moment, tried to truly think about it. Fuck, he wanted it so badly, it was almost a physical _ache_ —

“I’ll need to think about this more,” he mumbled, reaching up to grasp at his little charm through his shirt. It peeped at him. 

“Yes, there’s a lot to consider,” Hongbin said amiably. “But Hakyeon, you’re stronger than you think. And you wouldn’t be alone. Taekwoon aside, you’d have us too. I mean, that isn’t to imply that if you don’t turn we won’t remain friends, but if you did it wouldn't be just you and Taekwoon for eternity, it’d be us too.” 

Hakyeon blinked. “I— I hadn’t thought about that, to be honest.” 

Hongbin shrugged. “Just something else to consider.”

The thoughts in Hakyeon’s mind were pinging back and forth so quickly Hakyeon was getting a headache, right behind his forehead. He had too many damn things to consider. There was a part of him, deep inside, that was just so set on staying human, recoiling at the very idea of turning, but his mind was saying something else— really, what would change? He had quit hunting, was already living underground. All his friends sans Sanghyuk were vamps, and it wasn't like he had family to lose. 

The only difference is he would be a vampire. His life, in itself, his new routine, wouldn’t really change. He would just have eternity instead of this ticking clock. 

And Taekwoon would be happy.

“But I just bought a countertop stove for Taekwoon’s place,” Hakyeon whispered, more to himself than anything else. Hongbin laughed anyway, and Hakyeon blushed. 

“Yes, it would be a tragedy to waste that,” Hongbin said, still chuckling. 

Hakyeon paused for a long moment. “I could return it.”

——

The breeze was blowing again, from the direction in which Hakyeon and Hongbin were still talking, and Wonshik could swear there were whispers in it, his ears almost catching them. He leaned forward, straining, but he just couldn’t make any of it out, and he squinted angrily at Hakyeon, so far away. “I really don’t like that we can’t hear what they’re saying,” he grumbled. 

Taekwoon said nothing in reply, watching the pair talking fifty feet away with a laser focus. His silence was starting to grate.

“Are you two in a fight?” Wonshik asked, tactlessly, and if it was possible, Taekwoon’s posture got that bit stiffer.

“No,” Taekwoon whispered. 

“Yeah, alright,” Wonshik said, disbelief threaded through his tone. Taekwoon exhaled and it was almost a growl. Almost. Jeez. “If you want to talk about it, we can. I know Hakyeon can be— well, Hakyeon.”

There was quiet for a few moments, the only sound the rustling of the leaves around them, then Taekwoon murmured, “He has been— preoccupied, and will not tell me why.” Another pause. “I am worried.” 

“Ah,” Wonshik said, a few things clicking. “Yeah, Hakyeon’s bad about that, always tries to handle stuff so he doesn’t burden others. It’s his way of trying to take care of you.” 

“He is not a burden,” Taekwoon said quietly. “And of the two of us, he is the more fragile. He does not need to take care of me.” 

Wonshik wasn’t entirely sure he agreed with that, since it wasn’t necessarily a case of physically taking care of someone, but he didn’t get a chance to reply, because down the path Hakyeon was standing, and then Taekwoon was gone. Wonshik sighed and followed, flitting down the path to stand beside Hongbin, who had stayed sitting. Hongbin turned to give Wonshik a wide smile, reaching out to squeeze his hand reassuringly. 

Hakyeon was sighing, exasperated, at Taekwoon, who had come to loom over him. “It’s fine,” Hakyeon murmured, smiling slightly in the face of Taekwoon’s glare. “Everything was fine. I told you it’d be fine. He didn’t eat me.”

Taekwoon did the growly exhale thing again. 

This time, Hakyeon’s sigh was fond. He looked at Hongbin, still smiling a little. “Thank you, Hongbin. You really— thank you.” 

Hongbin stood, stepping in against Wonshik’s side. It made Taekwoon twitch. “Glad I could help some,” Hongbin said brightly. “Also glad Taekwoon didn’t have to intervene again.” 

Taekwoon looked down then, almost sheepish. “I am sorry about that,” he murmured. “I was unduly rough.” 

Wonshik was inclined to agree, but Hongbin was shaking his head. “It’s alright, I know you just wanted to protect him.”

Taekwoon gave a small grunt and Hakyeon sniffed. “We should head home,” he said softly, looking up at Taekwoon. “There’s a mist rolling in and I can _feel_ the pneumonia coming to infect my poor, weak body.” Taekwoon pursed his lips, and Hakyeon laughed. 

“Home?” Wonshik asked, looking between Hongbin and Hakyeon. “That’s— that’s it? You called us out just so you could talk to Hongbin? What about _me_? Am I chopped liver now?” He sounded downright indignant, which was good, because it stopped him sounding hurt. “I can give good advice too, you know.”

“Ah, but we both know I am the wiser of the two of us,” Hongbin said, patting Wonshik’s chest lightly. 

“And it’s a secret for now, anyway,” Hakyeon said simply. He reached out and, tentatively, took Taekwoon’s hand. After a moment, Wonshik saw Taekwoon squeeze Hakyeon’s fingers gently. When Hakyeon spoke again, he was looking at Wonshik, but his words were clearly meant for Taekwoon as well. “I promise I’ll tell you about it soon. I just have to— to think everything through.”

“Good luck,” Hongbin said, and Hakyeon gave them one last smile before he tugged Taekwoon away. Hakyeon’s footsteps faded quickly, and the mist swallowed the two of them up, leaving Wonshik and Hongbin alone.

“Okay, what was that about?” Wonshik asked, squinting down at Hongbin. 

“I can’t tell you,” Hongbin said, faking astonishment, like he couldn’t _believe_ Wonshik would ask. “It’s a secret.” 

“Not funny,” Wonshik said flatly, and Hongbin dropped the affected expression to grin instead, dimples appearing in his cheeks. “Really, what’s going on? Taekwoon is worried.”

“He doesn’t need to be,” Hongbin replied, shrugging. “Hakyeon’s just— just working through some things. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Wonshik’s jaw dropped a little. “You mean you really aren’t going to tell me?” 

“Nope,” Hongbin said, sticky sweet. He pecked Wonshik on the cheek, and Wonshik was so dumbfounded that he didn’t protest as Hongbin began to lead him out of the park, opposite to the direction Hakyeon and Taekwoon had gone. 

“Hakyeon told me he and Taekwoon often take walks here,” Hongbin said suddenly. “That’s why he wanted to meet here.” 

“Oh, uh, alright,” Wonshik said. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was a well kept park. He knew there was a lake a short distance down the path, a lake which had families of ducks paddling about during the day. Kids tended to flock to the field down on the other side, playing a variety of sports there. Now though, everything was silent and still, as the mist crept in.

“We should take walks,” Hongbin said. “Now that I’m not working, I have the time to get back into photography. I could teach you.” 

“I think I’ll pass on that,” Wonshik said gently. He’d never had a knack for picture taking, not like Hongbin had. “But yeah, if you want, we can take walks. See if we can get any weres on film.” He gave Hongbin an assessing look. “What’s this about?”

Hongbin shrugged. “I’ve just been thinking that we’ve been so preoccupied with— I don’t know, getting through this, figuring the whole vampire thing out— that we haven’t really been _ourselves_ in a while. And I think it’d be nice, you know, to go back to really being us, to being— being _together_ , doing more than just hunting and sleeping.” He gave Wonshik a coy look. “And maybe go back to having sex more than once a week.” 

Wonshik twitched, gaping at Hongbin, which made Hongbin laugh. “What on earth did Hakyeon _say_ to you?” Wonshik gasped. 

“Nothing in regards to this, really, but while we were talking I just— I realized how very happy I am to have you, Wonshik.” Hongbin gave a little shrug, smile fading into something softer. “When I first came back to myself, I told you that you should have staked me after I’d been turned. But now I’m glad you didn’t. I’m glad we got a second chance.” 

Wonshik knew if he were human, he would be blushing, embarrassment twisting in his stomach. He tugged Hongbin nearer, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Hongbin obligingly tipped his face upwards as Wonshik leaned down, kissing him softly. “I love you,” Wonshik murmured against his lips.

“I love you too,” Hongbin whispered, even softer, and it still sent a thrill up Wonshik’s spine. “Let’s head home too.”

“Already?” Wonshik asked, thinking back on his conversation with Jaehwan with distaste. Chances were he and Sanghyuk were still— well. Wonshik did not want to walk in on those particular shenanigans. “Sanghyuk is probably still there.”

“We can’t stay out forever. Sanghyuk is, most probably, going to stay the day, and I don’t want to intrude on Hakyeon and Taekwoon tonight. I think they’re going to be doing some heavy talking,” Hongbin said. “And Jaehwan got that new charm, so, theoretically, his room will be sealed and we won’t be able to— uh— hear or smell anything.” 

Wonshik groaned, making Hongbin laugh. “I don’t even want to _think_ about that,” Wonshik grumbled. “Also I am worried that the smell of Sanghyuk— it might—” 

Hongbin pat Wonshik’s head. It was vaguely condescending. “Yeah, I know, but uh, it should just be his outer scent, since, presumably, they aren’t banging and biting on the couch,” Hongbin said, making a face. “I hope they aren’t doing anything on the couch.”

“Jaehwan wouldn’t risk his precious furniture,” Wonshik said, shaking his head. Yeah, Hongbin was right, Jaehwan did get that charm to hang on the inside of his door, saying it was for _privacy_ , but Wonshik knew it was also so the house wouldn’t smell like human come and blood when they came home. Not again. “I guess I’m just not keen on going back yet.”

“Well, let me rephrase,” Hongbin murmured, stopping so he could turn and wrap his arms around Wonshik’s middle, pressing their fronts together. He was hard in his jeans, and Wonshik made a small, involuntary noise as he felt it, making Hongbin grin. “I want to go home.” 

“Ah, yeah,” Wonshik said breathlessly, watching Hongbin’s grin grow wider, “yeah, okay.” 

——

As Hakyeon and Taekwoon turned down a new street, the wind came gusting out at them, cutting through Hakyeon’s coat like a knife. He wished they had driven to the park after all, but it wasn’t far from their apartment. He’d thought they’d be alright, but apparently not. 

“You are very quiet,” Taekwoon murmured, not looking at Hakyeon. 

“Coming from you,” Hakyeon said, trying to be playful. The wind gave another gust, seemingly trying to freeze Hakyeon’s face off, and he shivered, huddling further into his coat. “Fuck, it’s cold.” 

Taekwoon reached out, wrapping his arm around Hakyeon’s shoulder and tucking him in against his side. He spiked his temperature way up for good measure as well. It was suddenly like standing next to a furnace, Hakyeon’s side growing pleasantly warm. “I just meant, you are normally not quiet,” Taekwoon said softly. 

Hakyeon sighed, and the puff of air was visible for a moment before the wind snatched it away. “I’m thinking.” 

“You have been thinking a lot lately.” 

“Yeah, I know.”

A long pause, and Hakyeon took advantage of it to wrap his arms around Taekwoon’s middle. It made walking awkward, but he was so warm. “You have also been— been upset,” Taekwoon whispered. “Have I done something—” 

“No,” Hakyeon said, sharper than he’d meant to. “No, this is just— it’s just me.”

“And yet you can speak to Hongbin about it,” Taekwoon muttered. 

Hakyeon’s arms tightened around Taekwoon’s middle. There was a slight thread of jealousy in Taekwoon’s tone, but more than that, there was hurt. “Taekwoon, every piece of me is yours too,” Hakyeon murmured, and Taekwoon’s face ducked away, so Hakyeon couldn’t see his expression anymore. “It is not a case of— of my feelings for you in comparison to my feelings for the others. I needed to talk to Hongbin, specifically. I had questions to ask him, I— there were things I needed to know that only he could tell me. To help me— help me figure some things out. To help me figure myself out.” 

“And?” Taekwoon asked, voice soft. “Did it help?” 

“Yes,” Hakyeon murmured. He felt more settled now. The revelation that he was possibly going to turn — coming after deciding that he _wasn’t_ — had been upheaving, to say the least, and he’d been feeling the effects of it hard these last few days. But Hongbin’s serene acceptance of his own turning had calmed Hakyeon some. 

Hakyeon had been fighting vampires for so long, fighting vampirism itself, and maybe he just needed to put down his weapons and surrender. He had already gone halfway, retiring from hunting, leaving the weapons behind. Maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to let himself abandon the rest of it.

“What exactly happens during the turning process?” Hakyeon asked suddenly. “I meant to ask Hongbin but— I imagine that’s not something he’d really want to talk about.” 

“No,” Taekwoon said, “I imagine not.” He looked back at Hakyeon, finally, and his expression was unreadable. “You don’t know?”

Hakyeon shook his head. “I know it probably involves biting, and I also know it doesn’t always work,” Hakyeon said. “But other than that— no.” 

Taekwoon was quiet, apparently in thought. Hakyeon wondered if maybe he shouldn’t have said anything, but then finally Taekwoon spoke, his feathery voice halting some. “A human must be dead to be turned. It is not necessary for there to be biting, though it is— best, if the human died from being drained.” 

Hakyeon’s heart rate picked up a little, the hairs at the base of his skull prickling. “That’s— unpleasant.” 

“Indeed,” Taekwoon said. “After that, the human is given vampire blood, and then maker and child must lie beside one another in the earth for a day, until night comes again.” His tone had gotten oddly flat, like he was reading off a script. 

“Did your maker tell you this?” Hakyeon asked. 

“Yes. I was not— not _aware_ , for my turning. Obviously. I was quite dead.” 

Hakyeon swallowed thickly. “I’m sorry, dearest.” 

They had reached their alleyway, and Taekwoon shook his head, pulling out of Hakyeon’s arms so he could go to the grate, kneeling beside it and pulling it open. Hakyeon watched him, shivering as he stepped up beside the grate, climbing down the ladder when Taekwoon motioned for him to do so.

 _A human must be dead to be turned,_ Taekwoon’s voice echoed in his mind as he climbed down the rungs, the metal icy against his palms. He thought about that, about— dying, in Taekwoon’s arms, at Taekwoon’s hands. There were worse things. He could endure it, maybe, if it would mean eternity by Taekwoon’s side. 

Hakyeon’s feet touched the floor of the tunnel, and then Taekwoon was there, grasping Hakyeon’s cold hand in his own warm one, leading him home. 

“Why did you want to know?” Taekwoon asked as they stepped through the door of the apartment. It was cold inside, but at least there was no wind. 

“Just curious,” Hakyeon said idly, making his way to the kitchen. The countertop stove was still in its box, sitting beside the sink. Hakyeon placed his hands on it, staring. “Did I toss the reciept for this away?”

“I don’t know,” Taekwoon said, coming to stand beside him. He yawned, a sure sign that daylight was approaching. “It’d probably be in your wallet, if you didn’t. Why? Are you going to return it?”

Hakyeon paused. “I’m thinking about it.”


End file.
